Obama Lays Out New Afghanistan Strategy
This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.
President Obama announced his new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in a speech Tuesday night, vowing to deploy 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as quickly as possible and setting July 2011 as a date to begin pulling U.S. forces out of the country.
Under the new plan, the first new Marines will likely be in Afghanistan by Christmas.
"I do not make this decision lightly," the president said, telling more than 4,000 West Point Military Academy cadets that "as your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service."
CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said Tuesday night that the speech will be looked back at as the "defining moment of the Obama presidency."
"This was the night when Barack Obama took full ownership of the war in Afghanistan," he said.
Mr. Obama said it is in America's "vital national interest" to add the additional 30,000 troops to the war effort. Their deployment will mean the United States will have more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan.
He said most will deploy early next year, moving at "the fastest pace possible," with a mission to "target the insurgency and secure key population centers."
"They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight," he said. "And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans."
The president also said that U.S. troops will begin to come home in approximately 18 months, though he did not set a date for a full withdrawal of American forces. The troop surge, he said, will "allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011."
"Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground," the president told cadets, who applauded intermittently throughout the speech and offered a standing ovation at its conclusion.
The president made the war his with the speech, argues CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder -- and in doing so risked making the biggest political blunder of his presidency.
"He did so knowingly, deliberately, and without blinders on," writes Ambinder.
Among those in the audience for the address were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, U.S. Central Command Chief General David Petraeus and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.
Full Text of Obama's Remarks
Bob Schieffer: "Defining Moment" of Obama Presidency
Marc Ambinder's Analysis: Obama Taking Big Risk
Mark Knoller: No Mention of "Victory"
McCain: No Deadlines for Afghan Withdrawal
Rep. Obey: Afghan War Must Be Paid For
Obama's Surge Comes with Expiration Date
Early Reaction to the Speech
Who Offers the Better Deal in Afghanistan?
Liberals Chastise Afghanistan Troop Increase
Polling Analysis: Afghanistan 2009 Vs. Iraq 2007
CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan
In the highly-anticiated address, the president said that while gains had been made in Afghanistan since he came into office, the country has "moved backwards" for several years, in part because the United States has been focused on Iraq.
"There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum," he said. "Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe-havens along the border. And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan Security Forces and better secure the population."
"The status quo," he said, "is not sustainable."
The president said the three core elements to the new strategy are "a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan."
The overarching goal, he said, remained to "disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future."
Mr. Obama also addressed critics, among them former Vice President Dick Cheney, who have suggested his months-long review of the situation has amounted to "dithering" that has hurt the war effort and the country.
"Let me be clear: there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war," he said. "Instead, the review has allowed me ask the hard questions, and to explore all of the different options along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and with our key partners."
The president said he made his decision to deploy additional troops "because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan."
"This is the epicenter of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda," he said. "It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat."
The military effort, the president said, "will break the Taliban's momentum and increase Afghanistan's capacity over the next 18 months." He also noted that he is looking to American allies to further assist in the cause.
"Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead," he said. The president argued that "the common security of the world" is at stake in the conflict.
He stressed, however, that the responsibility for Afghanistan did not lie with the United States or those allies, saying the Afghan government and people "will ultimately be responsible for their own country." The government of Afghan president Hamid Karzai has been harshly criticized for corruption.
"The days of providing a blank check are over," he said, adding that "we expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable."
The president then addressed the Afghan people directly, telling them "America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering."
"We have no interest in occupying your country," he said.
"We will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect - to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron," the president said.
He also turned his attention to Pakistan, which he said was "inextricably linked" to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.
"In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly," said Mr. Obama. "Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect, and mutual trust."
The president addressed what he called the "prominent arguments" against his strategy, including those grounded in the claim that Afghanistan is another Vietnam.
"I believe this argument depends upon a false reading of history," he said. Unlike in Vietnam, the president argued, America now has the backing of other countries, is not facing a broad popular insurgency, and is fighting an enemy that attacked first.
"To abandon this area now - and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance - would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies," he said.
The president also responded to those who oppose a timetable for withdrawal and seek what he called "a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort - one that would commit us to a nation building project of up to a decade."
"I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests," he said. "Furthermore, the absence of a timeframe for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government."
"America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan," added Mr. Obama.
Sen. John McCain, speaking with "CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric immediately following Mr. Obama's speech, said repeatedly that he disagrees with what he called "an arbitrary date for withdrawal."
"Success is what dictates dates for withdrawal and if we don't have that success and we only set an arbitrary date, it emboldens our enemies and disspirits our friends," McCain said.
The president also tried to address concerns, many from within his own party, about the cost of the war, saying it is something "we simply cannot afford to ignore."
"Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly $30 billion dollars for the military this year, and I will work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit," he said.
Democratic Rep. David Obey, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, told Couric after the speech that the war must be paid for.
"The fact is we've been told all throughout the health care debate that we must pay for every dollar of that bill," Obey said. "Well if that's the case they why should we not also pay for this effort? This effort is not just going to cost $30 billion on top of what we're already spending in Afghanistan - it's going to cost over $90 billion in a year."
After laying out his argument, the president closed by stressing that the fight "will not be easy." He cast it as "an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world."
"It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united - bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear," said Mr. Obama. "I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we - as Americans - can still come together behind a common purpose."
Troop Levels in Afghanistan Over the Years
U.S. Troop Deaths in Afghanistan
Views on Afghanistan Troop Increase
Afghanistan War Timeline
Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved. President Obama announced his new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan in a speech Tuesday night, vowing to deploy 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan as quickly as possible and setting July 2011 as a date to begin pulling U.S. forces out of the country.
Under the new plan, the first new Marines will likely be in Afghanistan by Christmas.
"I do not make this decision lightly," the president said, telling more than 4,000 West Point Military Academy cadets that "as your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service."
CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said Tuesday night that the speech will be looked back at as the "defining moment of the Obama presidency."
"This was the night when Barack Obama took full ownership of the war in Afghanistan," he said.
Mr. Obama said it is in America's "vital national interest" to add the additional 30,000 troops to the war effort. Their deployment will mean the United States will have more than 100,000 troops in Afghanistan.
He said most will deploy early next year, moving at "the fastest pace possible," with a mission to "target the insurgency and secure key population centers."
"They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight," he said. "And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans."
The president also said that U.S. troops will begin to come home in approximately 18 months, though he did not set a date for a full withdrawal of American forces. The troop surge, he said, will "allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011."
"Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground," the president told cadets, who applauded intermittently throughout the speech and offered a standing ovation at its conclusion.
The president made the war his with the speech, argues CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder -- and in doing so risked making the biggest political blunder of his presidency.
"He did so knowingly, deliberately, and without blinders on," writes Ambinder.
Among those in the audience for the address were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, U.S. Central Command Chief General David Petraeus and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen.
Full Text of Obama's Remarks
Bob Schieffer: "Defining Moment" of Obama Presidency
Marc Ambinder's Analysis: Obama Taking Big Risk
Mark Knoller: No Mention of "Victory"
McCain: No Deadlines for Afghan Withdrawal
Rep. Obey: Afghan War Must Be Paid For
Obama's Surge Comes with Expiration Date
Early Reaction to the Speech
Who Offers the Better Deal in Afghanistan?
Liberals Chastise Afghanistan Troop Increase
Polling Analysis: Afghanistan 2009 Vs. Iraq 2007
CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan
In the highly-anticiated address, the president said that while gains had been made in Afghanistan since he came into office, the country has "moved backwards" for several years, in part because the United States has been focused on Iraq.
"There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum," he said. "Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe-havens along the border. And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan Security Forces and better secure the population."
"The status quo," he said, "is not sustainable."
The president said the three core elements to the new strategy are "a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan."
The overarching goal, he said, remained to "disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future."
Mr. Obama also addressed critics, among them former Vice President Dick Cheney, who have suggested his months-long review of the situation has amounted to "dithering" that has hurt the war effort and the country.
"Let me be clear: there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war," he said. "Instead, the review has allowed me ask the hard questions, and to explore all of the different options along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and with our key partners."
The president said he made his decision to deploy additional troops "because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan."
"This is the epicenter of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda," he said. "It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat."
The military effort, the president said, "will break the Taliban's momentum and increase Afghanistan's capacity over the next 18 months." He also noted that he is looking to American allies to further assist in the cause.
"Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead," he said. The president argued that "the common security of the world" is at stake in the conflict.
He stressed, however, that the responsibility for Afghanistan did not lie with the United States or those allies, saying the Afghan government and people "will ultimately be responsible for their own country." The government of Afghan president Hamid Karzai has been harshly criticized for corruption.
"The days of providing a blank check are over," he said, adding that "we expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable."
The president then addressed the Afghan people directly, telling them "America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering."
"We have no interest in occupying your country," he said.
"We will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect - to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron," the president said.
He also turned his attention to Pakistan, which he said was "inextricably linked" to U.S. efforts in Afghanistan.
"In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly," said Mr. Obama. "Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect, and mutual trust."
The president addressed what he called the "prominent arguments" against his strategy, including those grounded in the claim that Afghanistan is another Vietnam.
"I believe this argument depends upon a false reading of history," he said. Unlike in Vietnam, the president argued, America now has the backing of other countries, is not facing a broad popular insurgency, and is fighting an enemy that attacked first.
"To abandon this area now - and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance - would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies," he said.
The president also responded to those who oppose a timetable for withdrawal and seek what he called "a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort - one that would commit us to a nation building project of up to a decade."
"I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests," he said. "Furthermore, the absence of a timeframe for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government."
"America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan," added Mr. Obama.
Sen. John McCain, speaking with "CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric immediately following Mr. Obama's speech, said repeatedly that he disagrees with what he called "an arbitrary date for withdrawal."
"Success is what dictates dates for withdrawal and if we don't have that success and we only set an arbitrary date, it emboldens our enemies and disspirits our friends," McCain said.
The president also tried to address concerns, many from within his own party, about the cost of the war, saying it is something "we simply cannot afford to ignore."
"Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly $30 billion dollars for the military this year, and I will work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit," he said.
Democratic Rep. David Obey, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee, told Couric after the speech that the war must be paid for.
"The fact is we've been told all throughout the health care debate that we must pay for every dollar of that bill," Obey said. "Well if that's the case they why should we not also pay for this effort? This effort is not just going to cost $30 billion on top of what we're already spending in Afghanistan - it's going to cost over $90 billion in a year."
After laying out his argument, the president closed by stressing that the fight "will not be easy." He cast it as "an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world."
"It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united - bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear," said Mr. Obama. "I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we - as Americans - can still come together behind a common purpose."
Troop Levels in Afghanistan Over the Years
U.S. Troop Deaths in Afghanistan
Views on Afghanistan Troop Increase
Afghanistan War Timeline
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What a sad, primitive, warlike people we have become.
Where does one go, to get the kind of brainwashing that you received ?? at the American Hating Liberal Institute of Lies ? wow, your class envy, and your absolute cluelessness about the terrorist threats our country is facing is, mind boggling.
We are not "occupying" Afghanistan.....we have no intention of staying there one moment longer then necessary.....why would we "occupy" such a god-forsaken place on earth ?
It seems that the corporation who own and run the military have a lot of say in our foreign policy
____________
the CORPORATION that own and run our military ??
?!?!?!?!WHAT ?!?!?!?
For eight years, the only Americans who have actually had to make sacrifices to pursue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been a few hundred thousand volunteer military personnel and their families. Most military personnel who re-enlist do so out of loyalty to their comrades in arms, not because they believe in 'the mission'. I would ask Katie Couric, and every other CBS News reporter to take this question to every individual American who supports this war: What sacrifices are you willing to make in order to sustain our presence in Iraq or Afghanistan? Are we willing to pay a single dollar more in taxes to pay for those wars? Are we willing to volunteer for service, even if only in a rear-guard capacity?
President Bush never asked the citizens of this nation to actually bear the burden of these wars. President Obama has continued the policy of requiring the maximum commitments of service from our volunteer army, and granting 'moral waivers' to gang members and people with criminal records (some of them convicted felons) to meet our recruiting goals. This is a national disgrace, and it undermines the legitimacy of every other argument in favor of pursuing these wars.
By way of comparison, in February of 1991, over 800,000 coalition soldiers removed Saddam Hussein's army from Kuwait, a tiny country with a population of 2-million. 540,000 of those soldiers were Americans, and 259 of them lost their lives in that war. However, with overwhelming force, the actual battle for Kuwait began and ended in 4 days.
Case closed.
He is not wrong, not only did they vote to go to war in Afghanistan, but a majority of Democrats in the Senate voted YES to war in Iraq, voted YES to continual funding of the war(s), and voted NO to withdraw timetables.....America went to war, not Bush
Based on the false intelligence that was order by president Bush and co-president Cheney.
You're getting there - 7 or 8 years after the rest of us, but you're getting there!
by velma179 December 2, 2009 3:07 PM EST
The inteli-wizard Velma, just noticed "reply to this comment" ? you joking, right ?
Actually genius, I think she was referring to the BRAND NEW feature that can be found below the post at 1:28PM, just below Mortar's post.
I just noticed the nifty new "pull down" for multiple replies on this site!
Cool
And....Yikes... I am in danger of being redundant...:)
The inteli-wizard Velma, just noticed "reply to this comment" ? you joking, right ?
The 18 months would start in January of 2010.
In his speech last night, President Obama said we would START pulling our troops out of Afghanistan [and Pakistan] in July of 2011.
He also said that there had not been ANY requests -- including General McCrystal's, though he didn't say the General's name, his request was definitely one on the table -- that asked for troops BEFORE 2010. This clearly allowed for a period of deliberation.
(A quote to consider: "I will be delivering my plans after a long deliberation, after steady deliberation. I'm not going to be rushed into making a decision..." this was GW Bush in the several months before he sent the troop "surge" to Iraq)
Today, I know there are troops preparing to deploy from my area very soon. I understand they will be in Afghanistan right at or just after the first of the year.
It is my estimation that eighteen months is plenty of time for our troops to get the job done. I have confidence in THEM and I am very happy to report that, from those I have spoken with... they expect to be FULLY armed with PROPER equipment this time. That is excellent.
I have a question for those who find this eighteen month period not sufficient for our fine Military?
How long did the "surge" that so many claim "won" the Iraq War take?
Here's a hint: The 28,000 troops took from January to June of 2007 to fully deploy and by July of 2008 the Iraqi government was`satisfied and asked for the withdrawal of foreign troops.
Interesting parallels, if you ask me.
Velma, the comparison with Iraq is not valid, this is a land-locked country, with very few safe passes, in the Hindu-Kush mountain range, some of the most remote areas on the planet....we lack sufficient helicopters....and you think this is a "piece of cake" logistically ? It won't be.....your parallel with Iraq is not valid.....not only that, but Iraqi's have been part of, and are comfortable with a large Iraqi Army (once the 5th largest army in the world)....which made their taking control, much easier then it will be in Afghanistan, there are a lot of AWOLs, and a weak national security force.....keep this in mind, when making your parallels.
the President's careful evaluation.
___________________
Whas that "careful evaluation" before or after, he was busy fundraising for the Democrat party ?? or was he carefully evaluating Afghanistan, while in Copenhagen promoting the Olympics...or while bowing to emperors....or was his careful evaluation mixed among those activities ?? you believe anything he says, don't you.
Any careful evaluation involved how he was going to placate the liberal anti-war voters, while still appearing strong against terrorists.....he decided to ride the fence, because you don't send 30 thousand troops and then 18 months later, remove them....that's just strange.
I don't think he gave a specific date, nor confirmed if the 18 months was starting now, or after the 30k were on the ground.
Anyway, the date is fiction....made up to pacify his liberal base
Good to see you return to the comment boards....isn't it a little un-usual to commit 30 thousand troops and then from the other side of your mouth, say they will be leaving in 18 months.....seems to me, the fake time table was thrown out there, for the sole purpose to placate his anti-war liberal base of voters......who's McSame now....LOL
First, it serves notice to Hamid Karzai that he better get his act together, and he doesn't have forever to do it. Otherwise he will end up dead, or in exile. He's got 18 months.
Second, it serves notice to the Afghan people that they need to get moving. They don't want the Taliban. They have 18 months to figure something out.
Third, It allows our exhausted troops, and their families, to see the light at the end of the tunnel after 8 long years of a horribly bungled war.
Fourth, Obama researched the situation carefully. This is something that the previous corrupt regime in Washington never did. And a big reason why they were such dismal failures.
Fifth, Obama inherited a mess in Afghanistan. Rather than just walking away, we now have 18 months to get it right. If that doesn't work then we are never going to succeed.
Like it or not, Barack Obama was very presidential last night. it was a big step forward to a lasting and good legacy. I wish him well, and we should support him.
Think about it.